Center housing for washing machines



pril 22 1924.

G. C. HOCKENBERGER CENTER HOUSING FOR WASHING MACHINES m n www s .iEEi

April 22 1924. 1,491,531

G. C. HOCKENBERGER CENTER HOUSING FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Aug. 16. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m Lum 3mm/Hoz 61H01 nu,

Fatented pr. 22, i924.

NITE!) GEORGE C. HCCKENBERGER, or BRrnGnPon'r, CoNNnC'rrcnr, AssreNon. Toroonn EN- GINEERING AND MACHINE COMPANY, or vBananiacan,- MARYLAND, A CORPORA- TION F MARYLAND..

CENTER HCUsrNG non WAsmNeMACHrNns.

Appneationfiea August i6, 1923. serial No. 6757.659.

To all whomz't may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, GEORGEy C. HoCKnN- BERGER, a citizen of the United States residing at Bridgeport, in the co-unty ot Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Center Housings for Washing Machines; and I do hereby declarey the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers 'skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

` My invention relates tocenter housings for washing machines.

Among the objects of my invention are z- To provide center housings forwashing machinesV which comprise means -for'applying power at will to the cylinder or other structure which ordinarily washes the clothes and whichfurther comprise means for applying power at will to drive in either direction the wringer or other appliance which is used to dry the clothes after saine have been washed. Y

To provide a center housing for washing machines having a revolving element with which the cylinder that washes the clothes can be readily coupled.

To provide a center housing for a washing machine having etiicientmeans forV packing the revolving .element that drivesthe wash-'i ing cylinder so that suds may not lnd egress from the suds container into vsa'd 4center' housings. .l

To provide a center housing for a washing machine so constructed and arranged that the parts may be readily assembled, readily inspected and readily lubricated. These and further objects of my invention will become apparentin the ollowingspecication, reference being had to the `accompanying drawings, and the novel means by which said objects are eiectuated will be deiinitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings n Figure 1 is a plan view of myfimproved center housing.

Fig. 2 is a section of the housing shown in Fig. 1 taken along the line 3-3 Vin said igure looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a section of the housing shown in Fig. 1 taken alon the line 2-2zin said figure looking in the direction of the arrows.

In this figure, the pin 39, lever 40 and handle 42 are shown dotted to show'their relation to the clutch member 38 andY the handle 27 is omitted.- 1` Y In the drawings e 5 represents a part of the si container which may be of any approved de of the sudsf anism for washing clothes which is to be connected to the driver 6. VThe driver 6 is mountedfon the shaft`7 andthelatter is revolubly mounted in the sleeve 8. A. gland 9 is secured tothe sleeve' Shy Screws suc-h as 10'which serve to compress the packing 11 around the shafty 7 and prevent leakage from the suds container. The shaft 7 is provided with an enlarged cylindrical portion 12 and said portion and the shaft 7 are revolubly mounted within the sleeve 8. The portion 12 is provided with a groove 13 into which projects the end Iof the screw 14. The screw 14 is mounted in the sleeve 8 and serves to prevent endwise motion of the shaft 7 with reference to said sleeve. l

,The gear 15 is provided with the hub 16 Vand said hub is revolubly mountedwithin the sleeve 8. The shaft 7 is provided vwith an sey extension 17 which` is revolubly mounted is eccentrically locatedu'pon the cylindrical clutch shifter 23. VThe clutch shifter 23 is revolubly mounted in the casing 24 and is prevented lfrom moving longitudinally by the end of the screw 25 Ywhich projects into the groove 26 kformed inthe shifter 23.

A handle 27 secured to the shifter 23 providesV means for turning saineV 'and'Y said handle moves over the top 280i the' casing uponwhich suitablefdirections with reference torsaid handle :are in FigQl. l Y

, The member 2O is provided with teeth such as 29 which cangbe movedinto the groove 30 whenthe cylinder visto be .Y operated by thegearl.

`displayedas shown i' los The casing 24 is provided with axially aligned bearings and 32 in Which are revolubly mounted the hubs of the pinions 33 and 34, respectively.

The pinion 34 is preventedvfrom moving longitudinally by the end of the screw 35 which extends into the groove 36 formed in the hub of said pinion. The pinion 33 is prevented from moving endWi-se byits shoulder bearing against the end of the bearing 31 and by the shoulder of the square shaft 37 which extends between the pinions 33 and 34.

The clutch member 38 slides upon the square shaft 37 and the left end of `said shaft is made cylindrical and isrevolubly mounted in a bearing provided in the pinion 33. The clutch member 38may be shifted along the shaft 37 by the pin 3.9 formed upon the lever 40 and the latter isy made integral with the shaft ,41.l The shaft 41 eX- tends-through a suitablebearing provided in theY casing24 and the handle 42 is secured upon saidshaft.V Y

Packing 43a `s placed around the Shaft V4l in order to prevent leakage ofoillfrom the interior of the casing 24. Thejhandle 42 has formed at its*` lower end three conical depressionsv 43, 44 and 45 for a'purpose hereinafter explained. Y y A At the top 28 adjacent the' handle 42 suitable bearings are displayed for the operation of the handle 42.V l p A pin 46 slidably mountedv ina hole provided in the casino ,24' and pressed upwardly by the spring 47 has a conical point which enters thevdepressions 43, 44 and 45 for a purpose hereinafter explained.

In the left sideY of' thelfhub of the pinion 33 there is loosely mounted a main driving shaft 48 which is cylindrical in cross section and a pin49 itting tightly ingsaid shaft and loosely in holes provided in the hub of the pinionp33 serves toV form a ldriving connection between the shaft 48 and said hub.

The shaft 37 is provided With al cylindrical enlargement 50 formed yintegrally therewith at its upper end and'sa'id enlargement is revolubly mounted .in a bearingprd vided in the hub of the pinion 34; n, l

To the upper end of the enlargement 50 the sleeve 5l is secured by pins such as 52 and said sleeve is prevented from moving endivise bythe4 end of the screw T53 vwhich projectsV into a groove 54 formed in said sleeve,

The Wringer driving shaft r55 .cylindrical in crossv section .isl loosely Vmounted in a cylindrical hole in the end of the sleeve 5l and a driving connection between said shaft and said sleeve is furnished by the .pin `56 which fits tightly in said shaft and loosely in holes provided in said sleeve. v

Tubes such as 57 `and 5.81nay y beiiifsed to shield the shafts 48 and 55 if desired.

The operation of my improved center housing is as yollovvsz-e Power being applied to the shaft 48 the pinion 33 is revolved thereby and this revolves the gear l5. lNhen thc clutch member 2O is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the driver 6 will not be revolved but when the handle 27 is moved to the position marked On in Fig. l, the pin 22 moves the member 20 until the tooth 29 enters the groove 30 and then the driver 6 is driven by the gear l5.

In order to hold the handle 27 in any position to which it may be moved, a pin 57 is slidably mounted in the boss 58 formed on the casing 24 andpressed upwardly, (see Fig. l), by the spring 59; 1When the handle 27 isin the position marked Off in Fig. l the point of the pin57 is in thedepression 60, (see Fig. 2), vand when the handle 27 is'in the position marked On in Fig. 1 the point of the pin 57 is in the depression marked 6l, `(see Fig. 1.):V

The operator can stop the cylinder at any time by moving the handle 27 to the Vposition marked Oi. Y v y y .Y `When the operator desires to start the Wringer, he moves the handle 42V from the position shown by dotted lines to either of the positions indicated by the dotted lines 62 and 63 in Fig.r3. l 1

lf the operator moves the handle to the position indicated by the dotted line 62,`the tooth 64 on the clutch member 38 will enter thevgroove 65 of the pinion 33 and the shaft 55 Will be driven in the same direction as the pinion 33. y

If the operator moves thehandle to the position indicated by the dotted line the tooth 66 on the clutch member will enter the groove 67 on the pinion and will drive theV shaft 55 in the same direction as the pinion 34 is. rotatinf" that in a direction opposite to that in which said shaft `was rdriven When it Was rotated by the pinion 33.

It is to be notedV that the top 28 may be removed Without disarra'nging any of the Working parts. that the casing 24 and sleeve 8 are secured together on opposite-sides of the suds containerl 5 by bolts such as 68. Hence in assembling my improved center housing, the casing 24 is placed on one side of said suds container with the gear l5 in said casing. The sleeve A8V is then placedon the other side of said suds container and the two parts drawn together by bolts suchas 68,. The Washer 18 and the pin 19 are then to be put` in place, which can be readily eliected through the opening closed by the plate 28.

It is also to be noted that the pinions 33 and 34are to be `put in place thro-ugh the opening at the top .of the casing, the screw 35 to'y be put' inl place and then the shafts It is further to be noted Y 37, 55 and the sleeve 51 can be placed in position by sliding the shaft 37 through the the central cylindrical hole in the pinion 3a. The screw 53 is then to be put in place.

Prior to the assembling, the shaft 55 may be connected to the sleeve 51 by the pin 56- but the pin 49 is preferably putin place by passing the shaft 48 upwardly through the bearing 31,V then passing the pinion 33 into the casing 24, bringingv it into relation with the shaft 48 and then inserting the pin 49. l

One of the objects o f my invention' is to arrange the center housing so that. these operations of assembling may be readily performed.

Vhile I have shown one preferred form of my invention, it is to be noted that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1. The combination with a casing having a pair of aligned bearings and a bevel gear revolubly mounted in said casing, of a pair of bevel pinions meshing with said gear and each having a hub revolubly mounted in one of said bearings, cylindrical sha-ft bearingsV formed in said hubs, one of said shaft bearings being larger in diameter than the other, the 'hub having the larger bearing comprising a groove, a screw in said casing having a point extendinginto said groove to prevent displacement of the grooved hub from its bearing, a shaft comprising cylindrical portions of different diameters revolubly mounted in said shaft bearings and a square portion extending between said pinions, said square portion being of such cross section that it will pass through the larger but not the smaller of said shaft hearings, whereby the shoulder of said square portion will prevent displacementfrom its bearing of the hub having the smaller shaft bearing, a sleeve secured to the larger of said cylindrical portions, said sleeve having a groove, a screw mounted in said casing and having a point extending into said groove to prevent axial movement of said shaft, a driven shaft connected to said sleeve, a driving shaft connected to the hub having the smaller shaft bearing, a clutch member comp-rising teeth slidably mounted on said square portion, saidpinions having clutch grooves for the reception of said teeth and means for moving said member to bring said teeth into either of said clutch grooves to couple said driven shaft with either of said pinions.

2. The combination with a casing having a pair of aligned bearings and a bevel gear revolubly mounted in said casing, of a pair of bevel pinions meshing with said gear and each having a hub revolubly mounted in one of said bearings, cylindrical bearings formed in said hubs, one of said shaft bearings being larger in diameter than the other,

ing a groove, a screw in said casing havingV a'A point extending jinto said groove to prei, vent displacement of the grooved hub fronif"' its bearing, a shaft comprising cylindrical portions of YVdifferent diameters' revolubly mounted in said shaft bearings and asquare ,portion extending between said pinions,v`

saidsquare portion being of such cross section that itrwill pass through the larger 4but the liub .having the larger bearing compris-v not the smaller of said :shaft bearings,

whereby the shoulder of said square portion will prevent displacement from its bearing. f of the hubl having the smaller shaft bear-ing,

having a point extending into said grooveV to prevent axial' movement of said shaft.

3. The combination with a casing having a pair of aligned bearings and a bevel gear havingva hub, of a pair of bevel Vpinions meshing with said gear and each having a hub revolubly mounted in one of said bearings, means for driving one of said pinions,

driven mechanism, means for driving said mechanism by either of said pinions, a sleeve in said casing comprising a .bearing for the hub of said gear, a shaft revolubly mounted in bearings in said sleeve and gear, said gear comprising clutch grooves, a clutch member keyed to and slidably mounted onY said shaft and provided with teeth for entering said clutch grooves to couple said shaft and vgear and means for moving said member.

4. The combination with arcasing having a pair of aligned bearings and a bevel gear having a hub, of a pair of bevel pinions meshing with said gear and each having a hub revolubly mounted in one of saidV bearings, means for driving one of said pinions,

driven mechanism, means for driving said l mechanism by either of said pinions, a sleeve` ius i in said casing comprising a bearing for the Y hub ofl said gear, a shaft revolubly mounted in bearings in said sleeve and gear, said gear comprising clutch grooves, a clutch member keyedto and slidab-ly mounted on said shaft and provided with teeth for entering-*said grooves to couple said shaft and gear and lll means for moving said member, said casing having an opening permitting the introduction of the hub of said gear into thebearing inV said sleeve. 'Y

5. The combination with a casing having i a pair of aligned bearings and a bevel gear having a hub, of'a Apair .of bevel pinions meshing with said gear andV each having a hub revolubly mounted in one of said `bearings, means for driving one of said pinions, drivenmechanism, means for driving said mechanism by either of said pinions, a sleeve Vin said casing comprising a bearing for the hub of said gear a shaft ievolubly mounted in bearings in said sleeve and gear, said gear comprising clutch grooves, a clutch member keyed to and slidably mounted on said shaft and provided with teeth for entering said grooves to couple said shaft and gear and means 'for moving said member, said shaft having a groove formed therein and a screiv mounted in said sleeve and entering said groove. to prevent endivise movement of said shaft.

6. The combination with a easing having a pair of aligned bearings and a bevel gear having a hub', of a pair of bevel pinions meshing with said gear and each having a hub revolubly mounted in one of said bearings, means for driving one of said pinions, driven mechanism, means for driving said mechanism by either of said pinions, a sleeve in said casiiiO` com rising a bearing for the D C C said slia'ii provided with teeth for entering said grooves to couple said shaft and gearr and means for moving said member, pacl ing and a gland in said sleeve 'for compressing said packing around said shaft.

n testimony whereof, I aiiix my signa- Giioiien o. HOCKENBERGER;

ture. 

